A half dozen fellow cops of slain Chicago police officer Thomas Wortham IV gathered on Friday morning at the Englewood district to remember their friend, with his commander lashing out over reports the death was the result of a dare.
“How do you raise a child that they go out and play a game and kill somebody? This is pure evil,” said Commander Keith Calloway. “I am truely at a loss for words. I cannot describe my hurt, my pain, my anguish over this’’.
Wortham was referring to reports that two suspects in the Wednesday night shooting of Wortham — Brian Floyd, 20, and his cousin — had been out drinking and had dared each other to rob someone. Floyd was killed in the incident while the cousin has been hospitalized.
Wortham, 30, who recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, was shot and killed when several people approached him outside his family’s home in the 8400 block of South King Drive and tried to steal his new motorcycle, authorities said Thursday.
Wortham’s father — a retired Chicago police officer — came to his son’s aid and shot two of the attackers, killing one of them, police said. Retired police officers are allowed to keep guns.
Wortham was a member of the Wisconsin National Guard, said spokeswoman Capt. Joy Staab. He enlisted in April 1999 and was last promoted to first lieutenant in August 2008, she said.
Wortham and his family had been vocal in efforts to curb street violence — a particularly hot-button issue in Chicago where two Illinois lawmakers recently asked the governor to send in the National Guard to patrol the streets.
Wortham had been on an advisory council for a park in his neighborhood, and worked on making it more safe for children.
Wortham joined the Police Department in June 2007, according to Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis.
“Officer Wortham was a true guardian to those he served and an inspiration to his friends and colleagues,” Weis said in a statement Thursday. “The entire city of Chicago has suffered a tragic loss”.
Charges were pending against the injured suspect.
Two others initially got away. One — a 20-year-old Marquette Park man — turned himself in Thursday. Court records show the man, who had not been charged yet, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon after he was arrested with a .45-caliber handgun last year and was sentenced to 18 months of probation. The other suspect was arrested Thursday night during a traffic stop.
Wortham was pronounced dead just after midnight at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. His slaying is considered a death in the line of duty because he announced his office and took police action. He will receive an honors funeral and his police star will be retired, authorities said. Link
